SOULLESS (Black Thorns, #2)

by Franca Storm

  Dealer and Runner step outta the elevator and scan the area.

  “They ain’t here,” Runner reports.

  “Not yet,” Dealer corrects. “Let’s move. Make it quick.”

  Chapter 8

  ~Ax~

  “Fuck,” I grunt as Runner finally moves back and holds up the bloodied bullet he’s pulled outta my shoulder.

  “Sorry, brother. Fucking thing was in deep and I don’t exactly got the best tools here. Probably woulda been a through-and-through if it weren’t for the leather jacket.” He starts laughing to himself. “Real ironic, if you ask me, a biker getting screwed from wearing leathers. Supposed to be the other way ‘round.”

  “Glad this is so fucking funny to you, asshole,” I mutter, shifting my weight uncomfortably in the passenger seat of his truck.

  He rummages inside the first aid kit on the dash in front of me. He’s balancing on the step of the truck and the open passenger door.

  We’re pulled over in the parking lot of a strip mall.

  Rox and Dealer are inside getting some disinfectant shit for the wound.

  We’re ‘bout two hours outside the city—a safe distance from Kent—and ‘bout an hour away from the clubhouse.

  An hour away, but the damn gunshot wound couldn’t wait no longer, according to Runner’s dramatics. I ain’t gonna lie—having the bullet out is a fucking relief. Jesus Christ.

  A sharp prick in my wrist startles me and I turn to see him sticking a damn needle in me.

  “What the fuck is that?”

  “Painkiller,” he tells me, pulling it out and wrapping it back up in the kit.

  “What?”

  “You’re sweating with it. Need something to take the edge off.”

  He ain’t wrong. Sweat’s actually pouring off me. My breath’s coming hard and fast. But that’s after it taking close to a half hour to extract the bullet. I woulda been okay.

  “That shit gonna knock me out?” I demand, getting pissed at the idea, cuz I gotta be alert. Can’t be down for the count. I’m Prez and I gotta take control of this Kent situation ASAP.

  “You’ll be fine.”

  I can’t tell if he’s lying, cuz he avoids eye contact by focusing on packing up the kit. When he’s done, he lobs it into the back.

  “What you doing here, Runner? Didn’t send you.”

  “I been watching you, Ax. Knew you were up to something. Then Dealer showing up? That was a dead giveaway that something was up. So, I followed you.”

  “Why?”

  “Cuz I know you. You always think you gotta do shit on your own and never ask for back up. Too bad. You got it anyway. Good thing I did follow you, cuz the way things were looking when I showed up at her condo, you wouldn’t have got away with just a single gunshot wound, you know? And Kent, Ax? Jesus. You okay?”

  I know what he’s getting at. Runner was front and center that day the club pulled me outta that shit show. He saw what the fucker had done to me. And he ain’t never been able to get it outta his head, I guess. Just like I ain’t.

  “Fine,” I grunt. “Bullet’s out. I’m good.”

  He watches me and I can tell he wants to push it. He clearly knows better, though, and instead he looks away. His eyes dart over to the strip mall. I follow his line of sight and see Rox and Dealer making their way back over to us.

  “So, when’s the wedding?” Runner asks.

  “Fuck you.”

  “You let her ride your bike, man.”

  “Was an emergency situation.”

  He scoffs. “Might as well have given her an engagement ring—same gesture as letting her ride your Harley. You forget how well I know you.”

  He’s right.

  If only it was that simple. If only me and Rox could just damn well be together like a normal couple. But no, first I gotta go on a fucking death quest just to make it safe for her to be with a man like me. And now…with this Kent shit, it’s even more fucked up.

  I thought I could somehow push it down. I can’t. That’s become clear with all the time I‘ve had sitting in this truck to think ‘bout it; think ‘bout her being with that psycho.

  “She’s been with him. With Kent,” I end up blurting out.

  “What? He’s fucked her?”

  I growl at just hearing those words. “Says they were engaged.”

  “You gonna be able to get past that?”

  “Dunno.”

  Before I can say more, Rox and Dealer reach the open passenger door.

  Her eyes are full of worry as she takes me in, sweating and exhausted. Whatever Runner gave me, I can feel it quickly draining me, zapping me of my strength and taking every ounce of energy I got left. My shirt’s off and blood’s staining my skin. And my shoulder’s a bloodied mess.

  She reaches into the plastic bag she’s holding and pulls out a bottle of disinfectant. She makes a move to climb up into the cab, but I hold up my good hand. “Let Runner take care of it.”

  She flinches at my dismissal and steps back, all dejected and shit. I look away, not wanting to see the pain on her face. I just can’t deal with all that shit right now. Knowing she’s been with that demented fucker ain’t an easy pill to swallow. Looking at her right now’s just a brutal reminder of it and it’s making me sick to my stomach.

  “Neil,” she says sadly. “I—”

  “Don’t. Not now. Can’t look at you right now.”

  “What Malcolm said isn’t—”

  “You fuck him?”

  “I—”

  “Yes or no?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “But nothing, Rox!”

  “Ax,” Dealer growls, not liking the way I’m treating her.

  “It’s fine,” she says quietly, before taking off behind the truck where she and Dealer parked the bikes.

  Dealer steps up to the cab, his eyes narrowed as he tells me, “Watch yourself. You push her away this time and I’ll make damn sure that’s it between you two. For good. You won’t find her again. You got me?”

  “He just needs some time,” Runner says.

  “Yeah, well. Time ain’t something he’s got. I don’t want her staying at the clubhouse ‘round a bunch of horny, drunk fuckers. But she wants to stay with you. So, you’re gonna protect her. As far as the club knows, she’s your Old Lady. Only way to keep her safe and keep their hands off her, cuz you may have noticed, she ain’t the old Roxana. She don’t stand a chance there on her own without your protection right now. I need your word on it, or I’m taking her away right the hell now. You ain’t gonna put my daughter in danger again, Ax.”

  “What you think of me?” I fume. “You think just cuz I’m pissed ‘bout her and Kent, I’d let anyone fuck with her? You got my word, all right? No one’s gonna fucking touch her.”

  “The boys already know she’s off limits anyway,” Runner says. “Trust me. Ax has made that clear.”

  He’s talkin’ ‘bout the time a few months back when I put him down after finding out ‘bout him getting aggressive with her.

  “Make sure they get a reminder,” Dealer says, before stepping back and following after Rox.

  Shit. Even before I found out ‘bout her and Kent, I shoulda realized what a dumb idea letting her come back to the clubhouse was. I shoulda said no when she suggested it. But I’d been too caught up in the idea of being ‘round her again after all this time and that’s all I’d seen. I’d just pictured her and me at the clubhouse together. Her in my bed. In close quarters. Taking care of her under my protection.

  Jesus. Shit’s ‘bout to get way too fucking complicated.

  Chapter 9

  ~Roxana~

  I’m leaning against the garage outside, dragging on a cigarette and looking out at the courtyard full of bikes at the Black Thorns clubhouse.

  By the time we arrived here an hour ago, Neil was asleep. Apparently, Runner had given him a really strong painkiller, both to take away his pain and to force him to rest. He knows Neil well, understanding that he wouldn’t res
t at a time like this unless he was forced to. And he needs to. Not just because of the gunshot wound, but also because he looked exhausted. The moment he showed up at my work celebration, I saw it. There were prominent dark circles beneath his bloodshot eyes. I could tell that it wasn’t just physical exhaustion—a lot of it is mental. He’s tired of the life he’s living. He’s had enough. His temper was even shorter than usual, which is another sign.

  Things are a mess.

  This is not how I imagined it at all—him coming back into my life.

  Malcolm saw to that.

  A stray tear escapes me and rolls down my cheek as I recall how Neil couldn’t even look at me after he found out I’d been involved with Malcolm.

  For a brief moment, when Neil and I were together in that alley, I stupidly thought that there was a chance for us. It felt just like it had when we’d been together before.

  But that was just sex after all.

  I was being completely naïve.

  Of course it wouldn’t be simple.

  It’s us.

  The universe is always trying to tear us apart. And this time it’s done so in the form of Malcolm.

  I know how possessive Neil is, so I really don’t know if he’ll be able to move past this.

  Shit. I had no idea they knew one another. The first I’d heard of it was tonight.

  Now, the one thing I want and the one thing I never thought I’d be able to have, may not want me anymore.

  And here I am at his clubhouse. His territory. And he can’t even stand being around me.

  How is this going to work? Maybe I should just go to my dad’s safe house. He said he’s going to stick around for a couple of days, until Neil is up and about again and they’re able to meet about Malcolm’s threat. At least I can take comfort in the fact that I’m not completely alone here with Neil hating me right now. My dad is here.

  A few months back, I wouldn’t have cared. In fact, I came here not giving a fuck about walking into their clubhouse, or giving a crap about what any of them might throw at me. I could take anything back then. No one could intimidate me, or make me feel ill at ease. I was in control. I’m pretty sure some of the boys were actually scared of me.

  But now?

  Now, I don’t feel in control in any way.

  I’m not myself.

  I feel weak.

  I think that’s why my dad has decided to stick around at the clubhouse really. I mean, he could’ve gone off to one of his safe houses and come back later when Neil was feeling better. But, no, he’s staying in one of their spare rooms.

  He’s watching my back.

  I also have Smiter. He and I were close before me and Neil ended things. We’d developed a good friendship. But his loyalty is to the club at the end of the day—to Neil. The man who hates me right now.

  While my dad’s loyalty is only to me.

  So, I’m glad he’s staying.

  I rub my eyes, trying to force myself to stop crying. I can’t believe I’m actually crying like this. I just can’t seem to get a grip. Shit.

  “You all right?”

  I gasp, completely caught off guard by the sudden voice.

  I pull my hands away and see Runner standing in front of me.

  “What?” I ask, at a loss.

  His expression is soft and his words are gentle as he asks, “Why you crying, darlin’?”

  I shake my head, not knowing how the hell to even begin to explain it.

  “Tonight was a lot to take. Too much shit went down. You want me to get Smiter over here and see ‘bout getting a doctor up here? You might be in shock.”

  He has to talk to Smiter, because he’s the Sergeant-at-Arms—the club’s head of security. Right now the club’s on lockdown. So, they can’t just have people coming in and out. Smiter would have to find a secure way of bringing a doctor in here.

  “No. I’m fine,” I tell him. “Thanks.”

  “He ain’t really pissed at you. He didn’t mean what he said. Ax is just like that when he’s riled up. It’s Kent he’s pissed at.”

  “We weren’t engaged,” I find myself revealing. I have no idea why I’m telling him anything like this. Runner and I haven’t exactly got along in the past. We nearly came to blows once. He blamed me for pulling Neil away from the club and he didn’t want to lose his best friend of so many years. The two of them came up together in the club and there is a lot of history there.

  “You weren’t?”

  “He proposed. It was out of the blue. We were just…screwing around.”

  “Sounds like Kent. He’s a complete psycho. You gotta tell Ax this, darlin’.”

  “What happened between them?”

  “Sorry. Ain’t my place to tell, you know?”

  I nod.

  “You know, Rox,” he says, stepping into me and laying a hand on my shoulder. A smile plays on his lips as he tells me, “He’s been a real bastard since you guys split up. Ain’t been himself. Maybe you can change that, yeah?” He winks at me and steps back.

  Heavy footsteps startle both of us and Runner spins around.

  We both watch Smiter stepping out from the side of the clubhouse. Was he there the entire time?

  “Good to see you’re playing nice, Runner. Just checking. Saw you walk out after her.”

  “Yeah, we’re good.” Runner grins at me. “Right, darlin’?”

  “Yeah,” I say, unable to prevent myself from cracking a smile in response to Runner’s infectious one. I can see why he’s so popular with women. He has an undeniable charm about him and when he turns it on, it just sucks you in.

  “No flirting,” Smiter tells him.

  Runner scoffs. “That’s like asking me not to breathe.”

  Smiter rolls his eyes. “You ready, Rox?”

  “Yeah,” I say, taking one last drag of my smoke then stubbing it out and walking over to him. He wraps his arm around me.

  “Ready for what?” Runner asks, clearly not liking being out of the loop.

  “Movie marathon,” Smiter tells him.

  “Chick flicks?” he asks.

  Of course that’d be his go-to, because I’m a woman. “God, no,” I respond.

  “Statham marathon,” Smiter tells him. “Why? You want in?”

  “Nah. Got some shit to take care of.”

  Smiter laughs. “You mean your dick cuz we’re on lockdown, so there ain’t no pussy for you, sex addict.”

  “Gotta do what I gotta do.”

  The way he says it, it seems like he’s joking around. But the look in his eyes and the somber look that passes between him and Smiter has me thinking there’s a lot more to it. Huh.

  “Yeah, I know, man,” Smiter says.

  He pulls me away then and leads me back into the clubhouse.

  Chapter 10

  ~Ax~

  I’m gonna kill that fucker.

  That bastard knows drugs too fucking well not to have known the shit he gave me was gonna knock me out for hours on end. What the hell was it? It takes a lot to knock me out. Must’ve been a goddamn elephant tranquilizer, or something. Argh!

  Runner shouldn’t be handling any drugs anyway. He fucking knows that.

  Last thing any of us at the club needs right now is him being pulled back into that shit and going off the rails. Jesus. Like we ain’t got enough to worry ‘bout.

  My anger escalates with every passing second that it takes me to pull on a clean pair of jeans and a club t-shirt. The shirt takes me ages to get on, cuz of my wounded shoulder. By the time I manage it, I’m sweating like a bitch in heat. At least the pain ain’t more than a dull ache, cuz of the drug. It’s real strong. It’s hard to walk straight. It’s like walking ‘round in a thick haze.

  The damn stuff is tryin’ to relax me and my anger’s tryin’ to break through the effects, but tryin’ to fight is just tiring me out. And the weaker it makes me feel, the angrier it makes me.

  A vicious circle.

  I can’t be relaxed now. I gotta be tense and alert
with this Kent situation.

  I walk outta my room and make my way down the hall, hating that I gotta take it slow and stop to press my hand to the wall to steady myself every few steps. I reach the small set of stairs and take ‘em even slower. Last thing I need is to trip up and end up in a heap at the bottom. That’ll make me look like a prissy bitch in front of the boys.

  Argh! I gotta be strong and these drugs ain’t making that easy!

  It takes me forever just to make it to the common lounge area.

  It shocks me how quiet it is.

  There ain’t no one on the couches or at the pool tables. What time is it then? Are they all in bed?

  Quiet laughter and talkin’ catches my attention.

  Well, they ain’t all in bed then.

  It’s coming from the bar.

  As I get closer, I see the source over on the far side.

  What the fuck?

  It’s Smiter, Rox and…Runner?

  That ain’t a combination I ever expected to see—not without blood being spilled and shit. And there ain’t none of that. Looks like they’re all good. Joking ‘round.

  As I walk over, my whole focus goes to Rox.

  That killer smile on her face.

  It’s been too long since I’ve seen that.

  And right then, the anger that’s been simmering within me burns out.

  She must sense my eyes on her, cuz she turns her head towards me suddenly.

  I feel my stomach clench when that stunning smile fades as she looks my way. She looks…scared? She’s scared of me? That ain’t acceptable. Ah, hell. It comes back to me then, the shit I said to her, cuz of the whole thing with Kent. Need to clear that up ASAP.

  “Ax, what you doing outta bed?” Runner asks, getting to his feet and coming over to me.

  Smiter does the same and, before I know it, the two of ‘em are reaching for me.

  “Hands off,” I tell ‘em. “I’m good.”

  “Well, you can’t drink with that shit in your system,” Runner tells me as he walks back to his stool.